Grand jury indicts the 10 people charged in Irvo Otieno’s death

A grand jury has indicted the 10 people charged in the death of Irvo Otieno, a mentally ill man who suffocated to death earlier this month while in police custody in Virginia.

Seven deputies from the Henrico County Sheriff’s Office — Randy Joseph Boyer, Dwayne Alan Bramble, Jermaine Lavar Branch, Bradley Thomas Disse, Tabitha Renee Levere, Brandon Edwards Rodgers and Kaivell Dajour Sanders — were indicted on one count of second-degree murder each. 

On March 14, all seven deputies were charged with second-degree murder and turned themselves in to the Virginia State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigations. 

Three hospital employees — Sadarius Devon Williams, Wavie Lavon Jones and Darian Malique Blackwell — were also each indicted on one count of second-degree murder. 

Otieno, 28, was being transported from the Henrico County jail to Virginia’s Central State Hospital, a state-run psychiatric facility, on the afternoon of March 6. A spokesperson had earlier told CBS News that Otieno had become combative while being transported to the facility.

Surveillance video shows Otieno, handcuffed and in leg irons, led to a chair in the admission room. About eight minutes later, video shows at least two officers holding Otieno on the ground, reacting when he moves. The officers then seem to lose their grip on him and he is rolled across the floor. Four minutes later, more police and hospital staff arrive and restrain him. 

At least nine people were seen on camera piling on top of Otieno as other hospital staff look on. The video shows that he was held down for 11 minutes. He died at the scene. 

“My son was treated like a dog. Worse than a dog. My son was tortured,” said Otieno’s mother, Caroline Ouko, who reviewed the video before it was publicly released. 

An investigation is ongoing.